Deuteronomy 29:12 kjv
That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day:
Deuteronomy 29:12 nkjv
that you may enter into covenant with the LORD your God, and into His oath, which the LORD your God makes with you today,
Deuteronomy 29:12 niv
You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God, a covenant the LORD is making with you this day and sealing with an oath,
Deuteronomy 29:12 esv
so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today,
Deuteronomy 29:12 nlt
You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses.
Deuteronomy 29 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:18 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram... | God initiates covenants with His people. |
| Gen 26:3 | ...and will make an oath that I swore to Abraham your father. | God binds Himself by oath to His promises. |
| Ex 19:5 | Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant... | God's covenant requires obedience. |
| Ex 24:7 | ...All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient. | People affirm their entry and commitment to the covenant. |
| Deut 5:3 | Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us... today. | The covenant is made directly with the current generation. |
| Deut 26:17 | You have declared today that the LORD is your God... | Mutual declaration of the covenant relationship. |
| Deut 27:26 | 'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law...' | Covenant sealed with curses for disobedience (implicit in "sworn"). |
| Josh 24:25 | So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day... | Renewal and re-commitment to the covenant in a new era. |
| 2 Ki 23:3 | The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD... | King Josiah leads renewal of covenant. |
| Neh 9:38 | Because of all this we make a firm covenant and write it... | Post-exilic commitment to God's law. |
| Jer 31:31 | "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant..." | Prophecy of a new and better covenant. |
| Ezek 20:37 | I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. | God actively brings His people into covenant bond. |
| Mal 3:1 | ...the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight... | Future arrival of the messenger (Christ) related to covenant. |
| Lk 22:20 | ...“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” | Jesus institutes the New Covenant. |
| Acts 3:25 | You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made... | Believers are heirs of God's covenant promises. |
| Rom 6:3-4 | Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus... | Baptism symbolizes entering the new covenant relationship with Christ. |
| Rom 15:8 | ...Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness... | Christ validates and fulfills God's covenant promises to Israel. |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | ...who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant... | Believers are ministers of the New Covenant. |
| Gal 3:17 | The law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant... | The Abrahamic covenant's promises remain despite the Mosaic law. |
| Heb 6:13 | For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear... | God's oath ensures the certainty of His promises. |
| Heb 8:6 | ...the mediator of a better covenant, which was enacted on better promises. | Jesus as the mediator of the superior New Covenant. |
| Heb 9:15 | Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called... | The New Covenant offers forgiveness and eternal inheritance through Christ. |
| Heb 10:16 | “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days... | God writes His laws on hearts in the New Covenant. |
| 1 Pet 3:21 | Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you... | Baptism as an appeal to God for a good conscience, an entering into grace. |
Deuteronomy 29 verses
Deuteronomy 29 12 Meaning
Deuteronomy 29:12 means that the Israelites, assembled before the Lord, were entering into a solemn, oath-bound agreement with God. This act signified their full commitment and allegiance to the covenant relationship initiated by the Lord. It emphasized that this was a present, personal commitment for everyone present, binding them to its responsibilities and promises under divine authority.
Deuteronomy 29 12 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 29 forms part of Moses' third major discourse to the Israelites in Moab, just before they enter the promised land. This chapter is a pivotal moment where Moses renews the Mosaic covenant with the new generation who grew up in the wilderness. It’s distinct from the initial covenant made at Mount Sinai (Horeb), even though it reiterates its principles. This particular verse (29:12) specifically highlights the purpose of their gathering: to formally and personally enter into this renewed covenant relationship with the Lord their God. It stresses the gravity and binding nature of this agreement, applying not only to those present but also looking forward to future generations, underscoring collective responsibility and the enduring nature of God's covenantal demands and blessings.
Deuteronomy 29 12 Word analysis
- so that you may enter (לְעָבְרְךָ - l'avorkha): From the verb avar (עָבַר), meaning "to pass over," "to cross over." Here, it signifies more than mere physical movement. It denotes a solemn act of passing into a binding agreement, accepting its obligations and consequences, effectively making oneself subject to its terms. It is an active commitment, not a passive observation.
- into the sworn covenant (בִּבְרִית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּאָלָה - bib'rit YHWH Elohekha ba'alah):
- covenant (בְּרִית - berit): A solemn, binding agreement, often initiated by a suzerain (superior party) and accepted by a vassal (inferior party). In this biblical context, it refers to God's gracious self-commitment and the stipulations He sets for His people's relationship with Him. It's the framework of Israel's national and spiritual life.
- sworn (בָּאָלָה - ba'alah): From alah (אָלָה), an oath, often implying accompanying curses if the oath is broken. This signifies that the covenant is ratified by an oath, making it extremely serious and irrevocable from God's side, and demanding absolute fidelity from Israel's side. The presence of curses underscores the grave consequences of disobedience.
- of the Lord your God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - YHWH Elohekha):
- Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The personal, covenantal name of God, revealing His unchanging, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises.
- your God (אֱלֹהֶיךָ - Elohekha): Elohim (God), with the possessive suffix "your," emphasizes the unique, intimate, and personal relationship God has established with Israel. It highlights His specific ownership and care for His chosen people, affirming His divine authority over them.
- which the Lord your God (אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - asher YHWH Elohekha): The repetition of "Lord your God" reinforces His singular authority and initiative in establishing this covenant. It stresses that He is the source and enforcer of its terms.
- is making with you today (כֹּרֵת עִמְּךָ הַיּוֹם - koret immekha hayyom):
- is making (כֹּרֵת - koret): Literally, "cutting" a covenant. This phrase points to the ancient practice of cutting animals in two and passing between the halves, symbolizing the binding nature of the agreement and the fate of those who break it (see Gen 15).
- with you (immekha): Directly with them - the assembled generation.
- today (הַיּוֹם - hayyom): Emphasizes the immediacy and present responsibility. It's a call to decision, requiring a personal and conscious embrace of the covenant obligations at that very moment. It binds those present and future generations who are called to embody this "today" throughout their lives.
Deuteronomy 29 12 Bonus section
The context of this renewed covenant in Moab indicates its application not just to the generation leaving the wilderness but also implicitly to all future generations of Israel (Deut 29:14-15), emphasizing corporate and enduring responsibility. This chapter, like the rest of Deuteronomy, functions as a foundational legal and theological document, guiding Israel’s life in the land and establishing their unique identity as a people "cut out" by a divine covenant. The phrase "sworn covenant" highlights that breaking it incurs curses (often death), paralleling ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties that typically invoked divine witnesses and stipulated severe penalties for disloyalty. This structure underscores God's sovereignty and His expectation of absolute faithfulness.
Deuteronomy 29 12 Commentary
Deuteronomy 29:12 crystallizes the intense and binding nature of God’s covenant with Israel. This "sworn covenant" highlights its serious, oath-backed foundation, where God's promises and demands are immutable, enforced by divine commitment and authority. The repeated "Lord your God" is a profound declaration of Yahweh's exclusive right to Israel, emphasizing His faithfulness and unique relationship with them as their divine ruler and provider. "Entering into" is not passive; it’s an active and solemn agreement to fully align oneself with God's will, signifying an appropriation of identity as God's chosen people, under His gracious yet demanding rule. The word "today" elevates this historical moment into a perpetual call for present and personal commitment. It ensures that each generation must consciously embrace and renew this covenant, internalizing its obligations and blessings, rather than merely relying on their ancestors' acceptance. It foreshadows the New Covenant's call for a personal decision of faith and adherence to Christ.